Posts Tagged ‘Iraq’
Isn’t it nice that we are winning in Iraq despite the losers, defeatists and cowards ranting against it?
Author: Tiffany Shoman
Question by Snake Plissken: Isn’t it nice that we are winning in Iraq despite the losers, defeatists and cowards ranting against it?
The “Anbar Awakening” is a perfect example. It was a natural Sunni uprising against al Qaeda which got decisive support from the United States. And if we had actually followed the counsel of many people in opposing the “surge” and too early withdrawing from Iraq, it would certainly have caused the most essential success for jihadists in their history. Its effects would have been disastrous.
The way to win the “war of ideas” against al Qaeda and global jihadists has actually always been to win the actual war itself, to defeat them on the battleground of their very own picking. For a motion which felt it had God’s directed, which relied on the look of strength, and which fed off the appearance of American weakness, the Iraq war was critical. And there is now no question that al Qaeda has actually been decimated in Iraq, and that defeat has had radiating repercussions throughout the globe.
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Microsoft lands an official software outlet in Iraq
Author: Trixi Anderson
Believe it or not, there hasn’t been an official distributor for Microsoft software in Iraq in the near-decade since it’s even been an option; if you wanted Windows or Office in the past several years, your choices were limited and seldom legal. Baghdad’s Legend Lands is filling those big shoes through a deal with Microsoft that will see it provide both official copies, support, and other help for Iraqis that want to take the honest path. Stores across the country will take care of everything from large-scale government orders down to a Tikrit family’s first home PC. The move won’t completely quash piracy concerns, but it’s a big step towards normalcy in technology for the desert nation.
[Image credit: Shbab4ever]
Microsoft lands an official software outlet in Iraq originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 04:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Acting For Geeks- a Chat with Erick Avari
Author: Angela Stephens
Photo by Ken Denmead
You know his face. You’ve seen him in everything from the original Mummy to the recent Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Where there’s a need for a vaguely eastern-looking character who is going to carry some significant weight in a story be it comedy, drama or (especially) science fiction, Erick Avari has been stepping up and doing the job with aplomb for 25 years.
One role he’s most well-known for, at least with convention-goers, is that of “Good Father” in the original Stargate motion picture, and later in the television series Stargate: SG1. Indeed, Avari is only one of two actors to have reprized their movie rolls on the TV show. All of which serves to explain that I was recently at a Stargate convention in Vancouver, BC where I got the chance to chat with Erick.
The first thing you notice about him is his boundless energy. At 58, he’s going stronger than a few sub-40 year-olds I know. Indeed, at one point during a charity auction at the con, he was seen to leap up on a tall chair and onto the stage like Jackie Chan might have a decade ago.
He also obviously loves his work, and loves connecting with the fans he’s garnered through his genre work. In the 20-minute sitdown I had with him and a few others, he was completely gracious with the ecstatic fangirl who had brought along some rare pictures of him to spark conversation. Unlike many actors who don’t always recall small roles they did many years before, Avari was able to go over stories and fine points of character and plot for movies he was in nearly 20 years before.
Probably the most interesting part of the chat was his response to my questions about the types of roles he’s landed over the years. Avari is Indian by birth, but because of his features he’s played nearly every possible eastern ethnicity. But he made a very strong point about one kind of role he has studiously avoided: terrorists.
In the years since 911, he told us, he was offered many generic middle-eastern terrorist bad guy roles and turned nearly all of them down, including multiple offers to appear on 24. Indeed, his aversion to the type of role, born of an inherent pacifism and his disagreement with the Iraq War and its aftermath, has worn somewhat on his career. Over a couple years he’s had to switch agents four time to find representation that understands that sometimes principle is more important than just landing a gig.
Obviously Erick Avari, as an actor, likes to work and find important, professionally satisfying roles in every type of story. But he obviously enjoys working in science fiction (other than Stargate, he’s been on three incarnations of Star Trek, Heroes, The X-Files, and even Babylon 5), and truly gets the convention experience and connecting directly with his fans. If you have the opportunity to see him at a con, I urge to to see him out. And ask him to tell you the story about the Stargate movie and the soot he couldn’t wash off. It’s pretty funny!
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Acting For Geeks- a Chat with Erick Avari
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Tags: Air, Career, Chat, erick-avari, gatecon, imdb, Iraq, MID, Stargate, Television, time, vancouver, Wikipedia, years | 
No Comments »Acting For Geeks- a Chat with Erick Avari
Author: Gabe Hall
Photo by Ken Denmead
You know his face. You’ve seen him in everything from the original Mummy to the recent Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Where there’s a need for a vaguely eastern-looking character who is going to carry some significant weight in a story be it comedy, drama or (especially) science fiction, Erick Avari has been stepping up and doing the job with aplomb for 25 years.
One role he’s most well-known for, at least with convention-goers, is that of “Good Father” in the original Stargate motion picture, and later in the television series Stargate: SG1. Indeed, Avari is only one of two actors to have reprized their movie rolls on the TV show. All of which serves to explain that I was recently at a Stargate convention in Vancouver, BC where I got the chance to chat with Erick.
The first thing you notice about him is his boundless energy. At 58, he’s going stronger than a few sub-40 year-olds I know. Indeed, at one point during a charity auction at the con, he was seen to leap up on a tall chair and onto the stage like Jackie Chan might have a decade ago.
He also obviously loves his work, and loves connecting with the fans he’s garnered through his genre work. In the 20-minute sitdown I had with him and a few others, he was completely gracious with the ecstatic fangirl who had brought along some rare pictures of him to spark conversation. Unlike many actors who don’t always recall small roles they did many years before, Avari was able to go over stories and fine points of character and plot for movies he was in nearly 20 years before.
Probably the most interesting part of the chat was his response to my questions about the types of roles he’s landed over the years. Avari is Indian by birth, but because of his features he’s played nearly every possible eastern ethnicity. But he made a very strong point about one kind of role he has studiously avoided: terrorists.
In the years since 911, he told us, he was offered many generic middle-eastern terrorist bad guy roles and turned nearly all of them down, including multiple offers to appear on 24. Indeed, his aversion to the type of role, born of an inherent pacifism and his disagreement with the Iraq War and its aftermath, has worn somewhat on his career. Over a couple years he’s had to switch agents four time to find representation that understands that sometimes principle is more important than just landing a gig.
Obviously Erick Avari, as an actor, likes to work and find important, professionally satisfying roles in every type of story. But he obviously enjoys working in science fiction (other than Stargate, he’s been on three incarnations of Star Trek, Heroes, The X-Files, and even Babylon 5), and truly gets the convention experience and connecting directly with his fans. If you have the opportunity to see him at a con, I urge to to see him out. And ask him to tell you the story about the Stargate movie and the soot he couldn’t wash off. It’s pretty funny!
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Acting For Geeks- a Chat with Erick Avari
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Tags: Air, Career, erick-avari, imdb, Iraq, MID, obviously-erick, People, time, vancouver |
No Comments »Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
Author: Conrad Thomas
Gavin Pretor-Pinney’s new book The Wave Watcher’s Companion arrived a few weeks ago and while I wouldn’t exactly call it light beach reading (although there are plenty of beach references), I found it an entertaining take on a very complex subject. The author of The Cloudspotter’s Guide and Co-founder of The Idler magazine, Pretor-Pinney seems to have a gift for tackling the intricacies of natural phenomena with a wealth of examples, illustrations and witty writing that keeps readers from tuning out. Actually, I wish I’d had access to this book back in my university days as it would have helped me tremendously with several dull and bewildering courses.
As a geography major (from too long ago to admit to), I still retained a basic understanding of wave behaviors, especially as they reach shallow waters and begin to crest into the familiar breakers, but Pretor-Pinney delves more deeply into the mechanics of this phenomena, explaining it using wavelength. Basically, shallow water slows the waves down, which forces the waves into a shorter wavelength which eventually reduces circular motion beneath the surface so the water is forced up; the waves pile up against each other and push forward, over top of the wave before them. Of course the author explains things in considerably more detail (and eloquence), categorizing different wave types and including helpful diagrams.
Water behavior and the critical role played by ocean waves simply serves as an introduction to waves in general. Pretor-Pinney segues into waves within our bodies, pointing out that the human heart pumps 100,000 times in a 24 hour period to send 4,300 gallons of blood coursing through the body in waves. Disrupted waves of electrical signals within heart tissue (subject to interference by tissue damage or blood clots in a manner similar to the way artificial structures like a pier will disrupt ocean waves) can lead to dysrhythmia and a heart attack. Other waves within the body are introduced, including the peristaltic wave (which transports food from the esophagus through its journey through the digestive tract) and the mucociliary escalator (the process of cilia transporting particles caught in mucus up to the larynx for disposal). It’s all interesting and the author uses a British wit to describe the processes, resisting the urge to invoke mention of “snot” while slipping in dryly humorous points like: “Whether the result is then politely swallowed or or crudely coughed up has nothing to do with waves. That is purely the result of what your parents have taught you.“Â In another section (on refraction), Pretor-Pinney concocts an analogy to illustrate the concept that start with a group of aliens crash landing in the desert, then stumbling out of the wreckage in search of a McDonald’s.
Pretor-Pinney points out that waves are everywhere and draws upon hundreds of examples throughout the course of the book’s 336 pages, from animal locomotion to music, SONAR, fishing, the Big Bang, X-rays, radio waves, Wi-Fi, surfing, sand dunes, traffic flow, tides, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (and traumatic brain injuries caused by explosive shock waves), thunder and lightning, supersonic flight, earthquakes, Bee shimmering (described as “the most impressive mooning in the natural world“), bird flocking and countless others. By making numerous historical references and tying everything together with modern examples (like crowds doing “The Wave” in a stadium), and phenomena from the natural world, The Wave Watcher’s Companion sucks the reader in to a lengthy exploration of what sounds on the surface to be a potentially boring and very short subject. In fact, while reading the book, I was reminded of James Burke’s excellent Connections TV series -minus the funky white leisure suit, mind you.
While the subject matter and complexity is likely too much for younger geeks, teens or those with a real interest in scientific concepts shouldn’t have much trouble digesting it. I found the book to be both interesting and entertaining and by the end I’d actually learned a great deal, which is always a good thing. Like the best teachers, the author resists the temptation to dumb down the subject, instead using multiple examples and constantly building on a foundation to educate readers.
The Wave Watcher’s Companion: From Ocean Waves to Light Waves via Shock Waves, Stadium Waves, and All the Rest of Life’s Undulations
by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
$22.95 (hardcover)
Wired: Most comprehensive book on waves I’ve seen outside of a textbook but with an irreverent sense of humor and wealth of examples that makes the subject both interesting and entertaining.
Tired: Likely too complex for young readers and the humor is often subtle enough that it may be over their heads.
Go here to read the rest:
Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
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Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
Author: Tech Blogger
Gavin Pretor-Pinney’s new book The Wave Watcher’s Companion arrived a few weeks ago and while I wouldn’t exactly call it light beach reading (although there are plenty of beach references), I found it an entertaining take on a very complex subject. The author of The Cloudspotter’s Guide and Co-founder of The Idler magazine, Pretor-Pinney seems to have a gift for tackling the intricacies of natural phenomena with a wealth of examples, illustrations and witty writing that keeps readers from tuning out. Actually, I wish I’d had access to this book back in my university days as it would have helped me tremendously with several dull and bewildering courses.
As a geography major (from too long ago to admit to), I still retained a basic understanding of wave behaviors, especially as they reach shallow waters and begin to crest into the familiar breakers, but Pretor-Pinney delves more deeply into the mechanics of this phenomena, explaining it using wavelength. Basically, shallow water slows the waves down, which forces the waves into a shorter wavelength which eventually reduces circular motion beneath the surface so the water is forced up; the waves pile up against each other and push forward, over top of the wave before them. Of course the author explains things in considerably more detail (and eloquence), categorizing different wave types and including helpful diagrams.
Water behavior and the critical role played by ocean waves simply serves as an introduction to waves in general. Pretor-Pinney segues into waves within our bodies, pointing out that the human heart pumps 100,000 times in a 24 hour period to send 4,300 gallons of blood coursing through the body in waves. Disrupted waves of electrical signals within heart tissue (subject to interference by tissue damage or blood clots in a manner similar to the way artificial structures like a pier will disrupt ocean waves) can lead to dysrhythmia and a heart attack. Other waves within the body are introduced, including the peristaltic wave (which transports food from the esophagus through its journey through the digestive tract) and the mucociliary escalator (the process of cilia transporting particles caught in mucus up to the larynx for disposal). It’s all interesting and the author uses a British wit to describe the processes, resisting the urge to invoke mention of “snot” while slipping in dryly humorous points like: “Whether the result is then politely swallowed or or crudely coughed up has nothing to do with waves. That is purely the result of what your parents have taught you.“Â In another section (on refraction), Pretor-Pinney concocts an analogy to illustrate the concept that start with a group of aliens crash landing in the desert, then stumbling out of the wreckage in search of a McDonald’s.
Pretor-Pinney points out that waves are everywhere and draws upon hundreds of examples throughout the course of the book’s 336 pages, from animal locomotion to music, SONAR, fishing, the Big Bang, X-rays, radio waves, Wi-Fi, surfing, sand dunes, traffic flow, tides, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (and traumatic brain injuries caused by explosive shock waves), thunder and lightning, supersonic flight, earthquakes, Bee shimmering (described as “the most impressive mooning in the natural world“), bird flocking and countless others. By making numerous historical references and tying everything together with modern examples (like crowds doing “The Wave” in a stadium), and phenomena from the natural world, The Wave Watcher’s Companion sucks the reader in to a lengthy exploration of what sounds on the surface to be a potentially boring and very short subject. In fact, while reading the book, I was reminded of James Burke’s excellent Connections TV series -minus the funky white leisure suit, mind you.
While the subject matter and complexity is likely too much for younger geeks, teens or those with a real interest in scientific concepts shouldn’t have much trouble digesting it. I found the book to be both interesting and entertaining and by the end I’d actually learned a great deal, which is always a good thing. Like the best teachers, the author resists the temptation to dumb down the subject, instead using multiple examples and constantly building on a foundation to educate readers.
The Wave Watcher’s Companion: From Ocean Waves to Light Waves via Shock Waves, Stadium Waves, and All the Rest of Life’s Undulations
by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
$22.95 (hardcover)
Wired: Most comprehensive book on waves I’ve seen outside of a textbook but with an irreverent sense of humor and wealth of examples that makes the subject both interesting and entertaining.
Tired: Likely too complex for young readers and the humor is often subtle enough that it may be over their heads.
Link:
Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
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Tags: Afghanistan, armchair geek, big bang, books, British, gavin pretor-pinney, gravitational wave, Humor, Iraq, Music, natural, ocean, Water |
No Comments »Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
Author: Jack Schmidt
Gavin Pretor-Pinney’s new book The Wave Watcher’s Companion arrived a few weeks ago and while I wouldn’t exactly call it light beach reading (although there are plenty of beach references), I found it an entertaining take on a very complex subject. The author of The Cloudspotter’s Guide and Co-founder of The Idler magazine, Pretor-Pinney seems to have a gift for tackling the intricacies of natural phenomena with a wealth of examples, illustrations and witty writing that keeps readers from tuning out. Actually, I wish I’d had access to this book back in my university days as it would have helped me tremendously with several dull and bewildering courses.
As a geography major (from too long ago to admit to), I still retained a basic understanding of wave behaviors, especially as they reach shallow waters and begin to crest into the familiar breakers, but Pretor-Pinney delves more deeply into the mechanics of this phenomena, explaining it using wavelength. Basically, shallow water slows the waves down, which forces the waves into a shorter wavelength which eventually reduces circular motion beneath the surface so the water is forced up; the waves pile up against each other and push forward, over top of the wave before them. Of course the author explains things in considerably more detail (and eloquence), categorizing different wave types and including helpful diagrams.
Water behavior and the critical role played by ocean waves simply serves as an introduction to waves in general. Pretor-Pinney segues into waves within our bodies, pointing out that the human heart pumps 100,000 times in a 24 hour period to send 4,300 gallons of blood coursing through the body in waves. Disrupted waves of electrical signals within heart tissue (subject to interference by tissue damage or blood clots in a manner similar to the way artificial structures like a pier will disrupt ocean waves) can lead to dysrhythmia and a heart attack. Other waves within the body are introduced, including the peristaltic wave (which transports food from the esophagus through its journey through the digestive tract) and the mucociliary escalator (the process of cilia transporting particles caught in mucus up to the larynx for disposal). It’s all interesting and the author uses a British wit to describe the processes, resisting the urge to invoke mention of “snot” while slipping in dryly humorous points like: “Whether the result is then politely swallowed or or crudely coughed up has nothing to do with waves. That is purely the result of what your parents have taught you.“Â In another section (on refraction), Pretor-Pinney concocts an analogy to illustrate the concept that start with a group of aliens crash landing in the desert, then stumbling out of the wreckage in search of a McDonald’s.
Pretor-Pinney points out that waves are everywhere and draws upon hundreds of examples throughout the course of the book’s 336 pages, from animal locomotion to music, SONAR, fishing, the Big Bang, X-rays, radio waves, Wi-Fi, surfing, sand dunes, traffic flow, tides, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (and traumatic brain injuries caused by explosive shock waves), thunder and lightning, supersonic flight, earthquakes, Bee shimmering (described as “the most impressive mooning in the natural world“), bird flocking and countless others. By making numerous historical references and tying everything together with modern examples (like crowds doing “The Wave” in a stadium), and phenomena from the natural world, The Wave Watcher’s Companion sucks the reader in to a lengthy exploration of what sounds on the surface to be a potentially boring and very short subject. In fact, while reading the book, I was reminded of James Burke’s excellent Connections TV series -minus the funky white leisure suit, mind you.
While the subject matter and complexity is likely too much for younger geeks, teens or those with a real interest in scientific concepts shouldn’t have much trouble digesting it. I found the book to be both interesting and entertaining and by the end I’d actually learned a great deal, which is always a good thing. Like the best teachers, the author resists the temptation to dumb down the subject, instead using multiple examples and constantly building on a foundation to educate readers.
The Wave Watcher’s Companion: From Ocean Waves to Light Waves via Shock Waves, Stadium Waves, and All the Rest of Life’s Undulations
by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
$22.95 (hardcover)
Wired: Most comprehensive book on waves I’ve seen outside of a textbook but with an irreverent sense of humor and wealth of examples that makes the subject both interesting and entertaining.
Tired: Likely too complex for young readers and the humor is often subtle enough that it may be over their heads.
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Review: The Wave Watcher’s Companion
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